Best Dog GPS Tracker Models in 2019 – All There is to Know

Strange question to be asking right off the bat in an article about dogs, I know.

Nevertheless, humor me… please.

I know you are thinking of a lot of “Fabulous” adjectives that go well with your dog by now.

To me, my Casper is someone I can count on. Yes, I said, “Someone.” He’s not a mere pet for me.

He’s my companion, a friend, and a family member.

I know, pet dogs mean the same for all of you guys too!

We treasure the four-footed devils. Because we adore them, everything from their eating habits to exercise and playtime are of great importance to us. This goes for their security too!

In fact, dog owners go to great lengths to keep their friends from harm’s way. The measures include keeping an eye on them at all times. And what better equipment to do that besides the Best Dog GPS Trackers? I mean, we can’t be there with our dogs at all times, right? Think of these as little bits of us.

Besides preventing them from getting lost, some of the best pet trackers even record their activities throughout the day. One can share the recording with friends or monitor the daily routine of the beasts to ensure their good health.

But, why which are the ones we should go for? Which dog GPS Trackers are great for long vacations? How to select the best product without knowing anything beforehand?

Four out of four questions will be answered in this piece. Hold on tight!

Why AM I A Strong Advocate of GPS Trackers for Dogs

Isn’t it obvious? I want to prevent the precious canines getting separated from you guys. Believe it or not, each year a large number of pets go missing in the US alone. The number is astonishingly almost 10 million!

Another reason for me to recommend pet trackers is the fact that using these things is easier than microchips. Make no mistake, microchips are good! Yet, complicated. When lost, someone needs to find your dog. Then, he/she needs to scan the chip for you. After that, you can track you to the location.

Compared to that, the best dog GPS trackers are more practical. These things use GPS and a mobile network. Set these things on the dog collars and you are done! Whenever your dog moves out of the designated safe zone (which you get to create), it alerts you via text, email, and/or sound.

When your furry companion gets lost, the GPS tracker helps you to point out the exact location. Even if you don’t use GPS, some pet trackers have a device that can be paired with additional pet collars or receivers to track pets within a limited range. You can monitor every move your dog makes.

Some trackers can even record what your pet is doing. If one makes use of this feature smartly, he/she can monitor how the pet is doing. Later, he/she can come up with a routine that fits perfectly with the dog’s habits.

Best Dog GPS Tracker – My Choices for 2019

“Okay, we get it. Pet trackers are awesome! But where will we find the Best GPS Tracker for Dogs?”

The answer is, “There are plenty of options available out there.” You just need to pick one that’s right for your pet. To make things easier for you, I’ve come with some of the top GPS trackers and compiled them on a list.

Make no mistake, every product was rigorously tested for accuracy, performance, and longevity before I came up with the list. So, here it goes:

When you want to monitor every move your pet dog makes, Whistle 3 is one of the best GPS Trackers that you can get your hands on. This little thing alerts you via email, notifications, messages, and in numerous other ways about your dog’s whereabouts.

This thing is accessible nationwide. All you need is an AT&T Mobile Phone and a WiFi network. It alerts you to every move of your pet. That too before they get too far from their designated spot. Believe me, $6.95 subscription for its services is like paying less than what it offers.

I’m not kidding! You can literally get an update of up to 24 hours if your pet leaves its designated place. Each time your dog leaves and comes back, it creates a route plan to show you where your pet frequently visits.

Thanks to “Activity Tracking,” you can monitor how much your dog eats, plays, and rests. This gives you the chance to regulate his day-to-day routine. Trust me when I say, you can even influence your dog’s eating habit and exercise to keep him/her in great shape for his/her age and breed.

This thing is not all “Talk.” Whistle 3 is super durable. It stands the test of time. Did I mention that this thing is waterproof as well? One can let his pooch swim with this GPS Tracker on.

This is not too shabby when it comes to batteries as well. Under normal circumstances, rechargeable batteries stay good till seven days. Of course, the time depends on how often you use it, your mobile network, and the Wifi strength. But fear not, it only takes two hours to recharge the battery.

Oh, you have a USB charging cable to charge the machine with.

What I Like about this GPS Tracker

You’ll have the luxury of receiving alerts with email, messaging, and alarms with Whistle 3.

This thing connects over AT&T mobile network and a WiFi connection for your convenience.

The activity tracking feature gives you the chance of controlling your dog’s diet and exercise.

Whistle 3 is durable and waterproof to the point where your dogs can even swim wearing this.

The battery lasts 7 days at full charge; you can recharge it in two hours with an USB cable.

What I Don’t Like about this GPS Tracker

If I had one complain with this device, it would be the subscription fee that I have to pay for its services.

If you are not a big fan of a GPS Tracker for Dogs working with cellphone coverage or WiFi connectivity, try advanced pet monitoring system from MARCOPOLO. This little thing works just fine without them. One can take it wherever he/she travels with his/her pets.

I was searching for a product that’s lightweight, portable, and easy to use. Fortunately, this pet monitoring system is exactly that! “Small Breed” dogs (or cats) won’t feel a thing as it itself is small.

What I liked about this device is it marks a place as “Safe Area” for your dogs. Once the furry beast leaves that area, it notifies you within 80 seconds. Better yet, you can actually locate and track his whereabouts in real time. Is he hiding? No problem! MARCOPOLO will help you find your friend.

The standard package includes monitoring equipment for one pet only. However, you can extend that to three at most. My only beef (let’s call it a hitch) with this thing is that you have to buy the additional pieces of equipment separately.

It checks on each pet once in 40 seconds. If the naughty dog decides to wander off, this system scans nearby establishments to find him. The collar on its neck signals you every five seconds. This way, you can pinpoint the dog’s location in real time.

The whole product is rugged and durable enough to last for years. It is waterproof too. Your canine friends will have a nice time swimming with these on.

The battery here is a beast in its own right. Once fully charged, it stays good for as many as six weeks!

What I Like about this GPS Tracker

Unlike the other one on my list, you don’t need a mobile or wifi connection to work with this tool.

I DO like its ability to monitor three dogs at once; you have to buy equipment separately though.

It gives you a constant update of the dogs’ whereabouts at a 40-second interval.

You can track your dogs’ locations after five seconds and in real time.

The battery is great with a 6-week runtime that allows you to travel to vacations with your pets.

What I Don’t Like about this GPS Tracker

You need to buy collars for additional dogs if you have more than one. It can get pricey.

If you want a compact tracker, Pod is an option you can consider with your eyes closed. The CU6595212318 2 GPS and Wi-Fi pet tracker gets the basic thing right. It comes with a monitor and a small device. You can hook the device with the collar of your dog and the monitor shows the tracking data.

One just needs to push a button and Tada! The tracking device is on. This thing works well within indoors and outside. You get to mark a safe area with this thing. It alerts you whenever the dog(s) leave the “Safe Zone.” As I said, you can track your pets in real time.

It earned its place on my list of best dog GPS tracker because of the size. It just might be the smallest GPS tracker out there on the market. It’s portable too! Take it anywhere you want. Literally, anywhere! The Wi-Fi coverage is good for 175 countries!

I loved the fact that one can monitor activities of his/her dogs. Dog owners can even record how a dog plays, what it eats, and when it rests. The recording can be done for eight hours straight. This way, one can prepare a proper diet for the cute animal by knowing the daily routine it has.

If you are worried about your pet swimming, don’t. This thing is totally waterproof. Also, Pod Trackers CU6595212318 2 comes with interchangeable batteries. You can recharge them. Once fully charged, these things will stay good for 6 days before needing another pit stop.

Want a collar that can track your dog and train it? Well, you’ve got it! Link AKC grants you with a collar which tracks the location of your pet. I mean all pets. Especially, dogs of various sizes (be it small or very large in size and weight).

If it does the same thing and tracks activities of your canine friends and alerts you of their whereabouts, why am I calling it the best GPS Tracker for Dogs? Well, it helps your dogs train with sound and sight aid. This little thing has a device that makes the sound. You can remotely turn it on.

This leather collar is pretty. Your dogs won’t be out of style and look odd wearing this thing. Besides looking cool, Link AKC gives you a solid reading on a temperature too. Now, people can get to know how hot or cold a place is as their dogs wander off.

Okay, people can record the activities of the pets. You can then plan their diets and training schedule depending on how they respond or behave. I don’t need to tell you that this thing is waterproof too, do I?

It works with the help of a nationwide AT&T coverage and a Wi-Fi connection. You do need to pay a small subscription fee of $6.95 dollars. Compared to few of the products, this is a minute fee.

Link AKC Smart Dog Collar is not out of surprises yet! Besides recording your furry friend’s alone time and it’s time adventuring with yourselves, this thing can also store vet records of your beast. People can update it from time to time. They can formulate new medical plans and do regular health checkups of their dogs based on the information.

Cool? Yes, very!

What I Like about this GPS Tracker

This thing is small, portable, lightweight, and waterproof to count just a few benefits. Link AKC gives you a reading of the temperature of the area your furry friend is in to prep you.

You can record your pet’s activities through the day and when he’s with you and share them.

It monitors your pets continuously to see if they leave the “Safe Area” and wander off.

It even stores up data from a vet to give you the opportunity to formulate meds and diet charts.

With this unique dog collar, you can even train your dogs using light and sound systems.

What I Don’t Like about this GPS Tracker

You need a mobile network and WiFi connection to make this collar work.

So far I’ve covered GPS trackers that work with no or AT&T mobile connection. If you T-mobile guys are somewhat disappointed, here’s one for you. Tractive GPS Pet Tracker is one of a kind thanks to the features and the looks it has.

You can count on the “Style Aspect” of this thing. When your furry devil wears this, he or you will hardly notice. It has only one size option for people to take advantage of.

With it, you can designate a place as the “Safe Heaven” for your friend. Whenever he/she leaves the area, you will get a notification. It’s easy to operate. This thing comes with an app that you need to install on your phone and that’s it! It’ll send you updates on the whereabouts of your pet.

Not only that, you can expect it to be efficient in what it does. Tractive GPS Pet Tracker sends you “Live” location updates of your pets on the map. Whenever they get lost, people will have alerts sent to their phones. And, they’ll have traces of their pet’s path shown. All one has to do is to follow it to the current location.

One cool thing about this tracker is the fact that it comes to a light. This little feature helps our furry beasts to navigate their way around a dark environment when they are out on a walk by themselves. This works 24/7 and in hard-to-reach forests as well.

Another great thing about it is that it works well in as many as 80 countries. So, your dog is safe even when you guys are vacationing abroad.

What I Like about this GPS Tracker

I found the collar clips of this thing durable and quick-locking. These won’t weigh too much.

You can keep an eye on your pet 24/7 with this amazing collar-style device.

Tractive GPS Tracker creates a virtual fence. Breaching it would send you alerts using alarms, messages, and emails.

People can use Tractive Tracker with their smartphones and desktops alike.

It is an “One Size Fits All” type collar, you don’t have to worry about this tracker not fitting your dog.

What I Don’t Like about this GPS Tracker

People have mentioned the batteries to be draining faster than normal.

Ending my Best Dog GPS Tracker’ list with Tagg Pet Tracker seems the right thing to do. The good thing is, this little Pet tracker does the basic things right. Also, owners can use Tagg for horses, cats, and dogs.

Like in other GPS Trackers, there’s an alarm system here too. Whenever your pet (cat, dog or horse) leaves the area or “Safe Zone,” Tagg GPS Tracker alerts the owners through a text message or emails.

This thing is compatible with your desktop, Smartphone, and iPhone. In fact, you’ll have a state-of-the-art app for your android and iPhones. This app has won awards that solidify its credibility.

You can even track daily activities of your pets to make sure they are healthy or not. If you feel your canine friend needs a change in routine, simply observe for five to seven days, discover the pattern, and then switch around diet and exercise plans to something that suits your friend better.

The map Tagg brings out for you is interactive. You can track the location of your pets on the map in real time. One can follow the traces and get to the furry beasts in no time.

I would suggest you guys use it with a regulation collar for your dog. It seamlessly fits with most of the collar sizes. Better yet, you can add (read purchase) extra trackers to pair up with the machine.

You can pair up to 9 dogs with a device for each. But Tagg GPS Pet Tracker isn’t fit for a dog weighing under 10lbs.

What I Like about this GPS Tracker

This unit is portable and has a sturdy construction when compared to units like Garmin GTU10.

This thing can support as many as 9 dogs with the same number of collars paired with a software.

It is compatible to your desktop, laptop, iPhone, and the Android smartphones.

This thing doesn’t need to trigger GPS unless you are outside your house so, the batteries die slow.

What I Don’t Like about this GPS Tracker

It operates in a limited circular range when compared to some of the alternatives.

Who Should Use These Things?

I must admit, GPS trackers are not for everyone. Many dog owners consider it as a luxury. Quite frankly, it might just be. So, how to know for sure that you need this thing or not? The answer is simple! Just verify if you fall into these categories that I’ve mentioned or not!

It may come off a bit silly but if you are rich and have a vast estate at your disposal (or a really big lawn or garden), you’ll need this magic tool. Dogs are free-spirited creatures. They like to play around. When it comes to large areas, they can very often lose themselves. It is better to keep a tracking device nearby.

I know some dog owners who have “Adventurous” dogs. These naughty buggers run very fast. They’ll often go out, chase the geese and won’t return for an hour or two. When they do, they’ll have mud all over them. Got one like I just mentioned? Then you, sir/madam, need a GPS tracker to keep your dog’s whereabouts under your thumb.

Even if your dog doesn’t have any notorious records, keeping GPS trackers for your dog nearby is a good initiative. Call it sort of an insurance policy if you would. You can keep an eye on him/her, record the activities all day, and change the routine once in a few months to see if it affects the fur-ball.

Things to Consider Before You Buy A GPS Tracker

Let’s say, you are not happy with the products on my list. You want to do your own research into these things and take it from there. What then? Which aspects of a lost pet tracking device make it great?

Well… this is the topic I’ll discuss in this segment of my guide. So, hang tight!

Decide Whether You Need GPS or Radio-Type Tracker

Hey, I’m not saying you don’t need a dog tracker. I’m saying to double check on whether you will go for a GPS tracker or not. GPS trackers depend on Phone Networks and Satellite coverage. In other words, you have the chance to lose the track of your dog when the service isn’t active. This is a serious disadvantage.

To avoid that, some people use the “Radio System” Dog Tracker. It has multiple units that can be put on dogs’ collars. One central unit keeps track of the extensions and shows the feed of the dogs. These are great when you don’t want to spend money on service charges. I too have some “Radio-Based models on my list.

However, the range of these things can be limited at times. Be careful when purchasing one.

Check The Area of Coverage for Your Phone?

GPS trackers utilize satellite coverage and phone service to capture maps of your pet’s surroundings and the pet itself. Only thing is, the phone service (or the monthly GPS service at times) will cost you some money. It can range from single digits to a hefty fee.

Also, the phone service may or may not work in certain areas of the country(s). Some cover multiple countries, other cover state or states of a country. Check if your GPS tracker works in remote villages or not.

Is the Machine Durable?

Let’s face it, you’re purchasing this tool with a hefty price and for a long time. You need a durable device by your side when tracking your naughty Labrador. Make sure your device isn’t flimsy.

Take the size of your dog when buying a device such as this. When tackling Labradors, you need a large device. It will stay intact if and when your Labrador jostles. It is the perfect fit for a large and playful dog.

On the other hand, small dogs require smaller GPS Trackers.

Is It Waterproof?

We all want our canine friends to be active and smart. They should run around, play ball, and swim too! All the while remaining as close to our sights as possible. For that, you need a pet tracker that is resistant to all weather conditions; especially, waterproof.

Don’t confuse yourselves with Water-resistant trackers and those that are waterproof. Water resistant GPS trackers are only good up to a certain depth of water. Beyond that, they stop working. Prolonged exposure to water is bad too.

However, the best GPS Trackers for dogs are often waterproof. No matter how long your dog swims, water won’t penetrate inside the mechanism.

Check The Battery Performance

This is important when you go on adventures a lot. While people are vacationing and having fun, their dogs need monitoring too. I often go on hiking with my dog. Trust me, mountains are regions where you seldom get a chance to stop and restock on things.

Sometimes, I can’t recharge my phone or other electric appliances over the weekends. It is the same with dog GPS collars.

Hence, I advise people to search for a brand that gives you a “Long” battery life. Some of the models have batteries that need recharging once in a week. Others require recharging once over six, seven or more weeks. Obviously, the latter kind is expensive. And the battery life is subject to varying depending on usage.

What about the Range and Accessibility Options?

When selecting some of the best dog GPS trackers for your canine friends, make sure to check which mobile network or GPS subscription it uses. Is it exclusive to outdoors or can you keep an eye on your pet indoors too? The range is important.

Some models charge excessively for a simple app. Some models come with software that is accessible from multiple platforms like an Android Smartphone, iPhone, and PC. These devices run on Wi-Fi and usually have a bigger range.

Let’s Wrap This Thing Up

Phew! I never imagined I’d be able to pack this much information as part of my guide on “Best Dog GPS Tracker.” After recommending the top 5 GPS trackers for dogs and telling you all there’s to know about these tools, I hardly have anything to say.

However, please note that the top tier trackers aren’t cheap. You need to spend some bucks to get the goods. But once you have a reputed brand by your side, you’ll be able to manage your friend’s day-to-day life like a breeze!

John Howes

Pet lover & passionate blogger. I love to write about pet. I started this blog to provide advance materials for choosing the right products for your dog.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 2 comments

Matias
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July 2, 2018

I do agree, GPS tracker is useful for you and your pets, especially when they love to run around!

Hard to choose cause it’s either you get the best one which is too much expensive or you get the cheaper ones who lack some crucial Features. Well hope someone would invent a cheaper but reliable tracker.